Avatar kills geezer

A 42-year-old Taiwanese man with a history of high blood pressure has died of a stroke after becoming somewhat overexcited watching blue blockbuster Avatar.

The man, who suffered from hypertension, began feeling unwell during the screening in Hsinchu and was unconscious on arrival at hospital. Tests revealed he had suffered a brain haemorrhage.

"It's likely that the over-excitement from watching the movie triggered his symptoms," an ER spokesman told AFP.

The film fan died 11 days later and the China Times claims it was the first recorded death caused by the James Cameron 3D epic, although others have complained of headaches, dizziness, nausea, blurred eyesight and disappointment in narrative coherency after watching the movie.